Former NFL star Mosi Tatupu, Lofa’s father, dies at 54

Mosi Tatupu runs through the Seattle Seahawks defense for a touchdown in a 1984 game in New England. Tatupu died Tuesday at the age of 54. (AP Photo/Mike Kullen)

Former NFL standout Mosi Tatupu, the father of Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu, died Tuesday at the age of 54 from unknown causes.

Mosi Tatupu, who played fullback for 13 seasons for the New England Patriots from 1978-90, suffered from high-blood pressure and some other health issues, according to this story in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

The former USC star played in the Pro Bowl in 1986 and helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl that same season. Known as a hard-hitting blocking back and special teams standout, he finished his NFL career with 612 rushes for 2,415 yards and 18 touchdowns.

At the time of his death, Tatupu was working as running backs coach at Curry College in Milton, Mass., just south of Boston.

He previously coached Lofa when his son played at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Mass.

Don Hasselbeck, father of Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and himself a former Patriot teammate of Mosi Tatupu, told the Boston Herald he was stunned by the news.

“I’m devastated,” Hasselbeck told the Herald. “We’ve really connected back in the last few years with Lofa and Matt being in Seattle. It was automatic. It’s just a small world. Man, I remember we used to tease him because he played great in the snow, and he was from Hawaii. He had that running style, a great low base, he played so hard.

“Man, this is hard to comprehend with someone that age. It’s got to be devastating for his kids. Emotional. Just, wow.”

The Boston Globe reported that the elder Tatupu had taken time off from his coaching last year to spend time with Lofa and his family in Seattle.

“He missed them and stuff and he wanted to go to spend time with them, and I’m glad he did it,” Curry head coach Skip Bandini said.

“He was all of our players’ favorite coach and he was all of our coaches’ favorite coach. … You’re not going to meet a better person on the planet.”